Catheter

1. A medical device comprising:

a catheter shaft having a proximal-most end, a distal end, and a section of the catheter shaft located distal to the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft;

a balloon secured to the distal end;

a luer fitting capable of being connected to a pressure device and arranged at the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft;

the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft including a plurality of balls spaced to provide kink-free bending of the proximal-most end so as to avoid kinking the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft when removing the catheter shaft from packaging or when connecting the pressure device;

the section of the catheter shaft located distal to the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft is less flexible than the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft; and

a heat shrinkable tube disposed over the plurality of balls; wherein the heat shrinkable tube is connected at a first end to the catheter shaft and at a second end to the luer fitting.

2. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of balls are affixed to the catheter shaft by welding.

3. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the catheter shaft and the plurality of balls are one piece.

4. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein a spacing of the plurality of balls is selected to define a maximum bending angle above which bending forces applied to the catheter shaft are converted to longitudinal stresses along the catheter shaft.

5. A medical device comprising:

a hypotube having a proximal end and a distal end;

a balloon secured to the distal end of the hypotube; and

a fitting arranged at the proximal-most end of the hypotube, the proximal-most end of the hypotube including a bending section to provide kink-free bending of the proximal-most end, the bending section including a plurality of balls, wherein the plurality of balls are affixed to the hypotube using a heat shrinkable tube disposed over the plurality of balls and the heat shrinkable tube is connected at a first end to the hypotube and at a second end to the fitting.

6. The medical device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of balls are affixed to the hypotube by an adhesive bond.

7. The medical device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of balls are mechanically coupled to the hypotube.

8. The medical device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of balls are separated by a distance d and have a radius r to define a maximum acceptable bending angle α.

9. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the angle α is selected to prevent kinking of the hypotube.

10. A medical device comprising:

a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and

a luer fitting arranged at the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft, the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft including a plurality of balls spaced apart a distance d to provide kink-free bending of the proximal-most end of the catheter shaft; wherein a heat shrinkable tube is disposed over the plurality of balls, and the heat shrinkable tube is connected at a first end to the catheter shaft and at a second end to the luer fitting.

11. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein a balloon is secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft.

12. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the catheter shaft includes a lumen and the luer fitting includes a passageway in fluid communication with the lumen.

13. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of balls are affixed to the catheter shaft by an adhesive bond or welding.

14. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the catheter shaft and the plurality of balls are one piece.

15. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of balls have a radius r, and the combination of the distance d and the radius r defines a maximum acceptable bending angle α.

16. The medical device of claim 15 , wherein the angle α is selected to prevent kinking of the catheter shaft.